Traction head part

ABSTRACT

A traction head part includes a cabin which has a floor region, a roof and two side walls which extend between the floor region and the roof. The side walls each have an A-pillar on the head end thereof which is held on the floor region. One longitudinal member extends into the side walls from each A-pillar. The unit formed of the A-pillar and the longitudinal members is constructed to absorb and direct forces into the cabin in the case of a crash.

The invention relates to a traction head part having a cabin comprisinga floor region, a roof and two side walls which extend between the floorregion and the roof.

The traction head part corresponds, for example, to a head of a traindriving unit, a control vehicle or even a locomotive. Accordingly, thecabin may be configured as a train driver's cabin, passenger cabin or asa combination thereof. The traction head part may additionally comprisea rail drive.

In the prior art, the traction head part generally comprises a bodyshell structure to which an outer shell which provides the shape isattached. In this case, the body shell structure and the outer shell areseparated in terms of construction. The body shell structure undertakesthe absorption of static loads as well as crash loads, whereas the outershell is the principal provider of the design and the definitiveaerodynamic design feature. The body shell structure generally consistsof welded steel/aluminum elements and the outer shell is molded fromglass fiber-reinforced plastic materials. The outer shell is bonded orscrewed to the body shell structure.

A drawback with such a traction head part is that the traction head partcomprises two substantially independent structures which have separatefunctional tasks. As a result, the design of the cabin is restricted andthe space thereof reduced. The weight of the traction head part, inparticular of the cabin, is increased and the assembly made moredifficult. Moreover, the requirements for strength in the event of acollision have to be met.

Proceeding from a traction head part of the type mentioned in theintroduction, it is the object of the present invention, therefore, toimprove said traction head part from a technical point of view such thatthe forces occurring in the event of a crash may be reliably absorbedand the cabin and the traction head part may be assembled in a simplemanner and the cabin has a large internal volume.

This object is achieved according to the invention by a traction headpart of the type mentioned above which has the features set forth inclaim 1.

Advantageous embodiments of the traction head part according to theinvention form the subject matter of the sub-claims.

According to the invention, therefore, a traction head part isspecified, having a cabin which comprises a floor region, a roof and twoside walls which extend between the floor region and the roof. The sidewalls on the head end thereof in each case comprise an A-pillar which isretained on the floor region. One respective longitudinal member extendsinto the side walls from each A-pillar, wherein the unit consisting ofthe A-pillar and the longitudinal member is designed to absorb anddirect forces into the cabin in the event of a crash.

In other words, in each case a unit consisting of the A-pillar and alongitudinal member is formed in the side walls of the traction headpart, said unit diverting forces into the cabin in the event of acollision. As a result, the cabin may absorb forces and increase thestrength of the traction head part. The head end of the traction headpart relates to the end which faces away from the train. The A-pillarviewed from the head end is the first pillar which extends upwardly fromthe floor region. The longitudinal member extends in the side wall.Preferably, the longitudinal member is an integral component of the sidewall. Further preferably, the A-pillar and/or the longitudinal memberare manufactured from aluminum or steel.

The disclosed traction head part has the advantage that in each case aside wall is formed which as a whole is suitable for absorbing forcesoccurring in the event of a crash and for diverting said forces into thecabin. Thus the cabin as a whole contributes to increasing the safety inthe event of a collision. Additionally, the useable internal volume ofthe traction head part may be increased whilst maintaining the externaldimensions. By the design of the side walls with the A-pillar and thelongitudinal member, a simple construction for the side walls isprovided, whereby the number of structural elements required is smalland the weight and costs may be reduced.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the longitudinal members form an upper edge of therespective side wall. Thus, in the event of a collision, the forces maybe diverted into the roof of the cabin irrespective of the height of animpact point, so that the forces may be distributed over a large area ofthe cabin. Additionally, the cabin is stabilized in terms of its heightso that people located in the cabin are protected in the event of acollision.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the cabin is self-supporting. “Self-supporting” inthis case means that the wall panels of the cabin are designed andconnected together such that they increase the strength of the cabin.For example, the wall panels may be connected by being welded to thefloor region, the A-pillar and/or the longitudinal member, so that aload-bearing connection is produced. The embodiments accordingly applyto the roof panels. The wall panels and/or roof panels are preferablymanufactured from aluminum or steel. The thickness of the panels ispreferably selected such that the panels may be easily assembled and maycontribute to the strength of the cabin. As a result, the external shellis also able to absorb forces in the event of a collision and to divertsaid forces into the overall structure. As a result, the safety isfurther increased in the case of a collision.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that in each case the side walls comprise at least onefurther pillar and the longitudinal member is connected in each case tothe at least one further pillar. The at least one further pillarimproves the stability of the respective side wall and facilitates theattachment of wall panels. The wall panels are preferably fastened ineach case to two pillars so that they additionally increase thestability of the traction head part, in particular in the longitudinaldirection.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the longitudinal member is designed in multipleparts and in each case at least one part of the longitudinal memberextends between two pillars. Preferably, the longitudinal member withits two ends bears in each case against a pillar so that forces may beeasily transmitted between said components.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the longitudinal member is designed as a profiledsupport. By means of the profile, the stability of the longitudinalmember is increased, in particular in the longitudinal directionthereof. At the same time, the weight of the longitudinal member may below.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the roof comprises at least one crossmember whichis retained by its ends on the two longitudinal members. The crossmembereffects a transverse reinforcement of the cabin which may be relevant,for example, in the case of the traction head part overturning. Inaddition, forces which act on only one of the A-pillars may betransmitted by the crossmember partially into the respective other sidewall, in particular into the longitudinal member of the other side walland thus uniformly directed into the cabin.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that at least two further pillars and one crossmemberare connected together. A support arc which stabilizes the cross sectionof the cabin is produced. By means of the support arc the stability ofthe cabin may be increased in various ways by mounting a component asdescribed above. Thus the use of the support arc is very efficient formounting the cabin and the traction head part.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the longitudinal members in each case have a curvedshape and extend upwardly from the A-pillar. The curved shape isadvantageous as, on the one hand, it permits an aerodynamic design ofthe traction head part and, on the other hand, is well suited toabsorbing forces in the event of a collision.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the longitudinal member in each case is designedintegrally with at least one wall panel and/or one roof panel. As aresult, a stable structural unit is formed to which further wall panelsand/or roof panels may be easily fastened. The longitudinal member withthe at least one wall panel and/or roof panel thus forms, on the onehand, a supporting structure which substantially contributes to thestability of the traction head part, in particular in the event of acollision. On the other hand, the structural unit thus formed createsthe outer shape of the traction head part without additional componentsbeing necessary to provide the shape in this region.

According to a preferred embodiment, the traction head part isconfigured such that the cabin is formed as a welded unit. The cabin maybe formed in a simple manner by means of the welding and at the sametime have a high degree of stability. The A-pillar, longitudinal membersand, if present, side panels, roof panels, further pillars andcrossmembers may therefore form a stable unit as a whole.

The above-described properties, features and advantages of thisinvention and the manner in which it is achieved will become clearer andmore comprehensible in association with the following description of theexemplary embodiments which are described in more detail in combinationwith the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a traction head part according to afirst embodiment in a lateral view of the head side, and

FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the traction head part of FIG. 1 in alateral view from the direction of its side opposing the head side.

FIGS. 1 and 2 show a traction head part 1 according to a preferredembodiment. The traction head part 1 comprises a cabin 3 which comprisesa floor region 5, a roof 7 and two side walls 9 which extend between thefloor region 5 and the roof 7.

The side walls 9 have at the head end 11 of the traction head part 1 ineach case an A-pillar 13 and, spaced apart in the longitudinaldirection, further pillars 15 a, 15 b which are retained on the floorregion 5 and in position have a different height relative to the heightof the side wall. In each case a longitudinal member 17 extends into theside walls 9 from the A-pillar 13, wherein the longitudinal members 17have a curved shape in which they extend upwardly from the A-pillar 13.In this case, the longitudinal members 17 form an upper edge of therespective side wall 9. The longitudinal member 17 is connected to thefurther pillars 15 a, 15 b. The longitudinal member 17 is thus anintegral component of the side wall 9.

As may be seen in FIG. 2, the longitudinal member 17 in each case isdesigned as a multipart profiled support with an individual support 17a, 17 b on the head side and to the rear, which form two parts of thelongitudinal member 17. The individual support 17 a on the head sideextends between the A-pillar 13 and a further pillar 15 a which isdesigned as a high pillar and bears with its two ends thereagainst. Theremaining pillars 15 b which are designed to be correspondingly lowerare connected to the individual supports 17 a, 17 b in a central regionof the individual supports 17 a, 17 b.

The roof 7 comprises a crossmember 19 a, 19 b on the head side and atthe rear. The rear crossmember 19 b is retained by its ends on the tworear individual supports 17 b, whilst the crossmember 19 a on the headside is connected to the higher pillar 15 a and forms therewith asupport arc 21.

As may be seen further in the figures, the side walls 9 and the roof 7in each case form a plurality of wall panels and/or roof panels 23, 25.The wall panels and roof panels 23, 25 in each case are attached to twopillars 13, 15 a, 15 b and/or crossmembers 19 a, 19 b. As may be seen onthe wall panels 23, said wall panels partially span a plurality ofpillars 15 a, 15 b, wherein they are also fastened to the spannedpillars 15 a, 15 b.

The A-pillar 13, longitudinal members 17, crossmembers 19 a, 19 b aswell as wall panels and roof panels 23, 25 are manufactured in thisexemplary embodiment from aluminum and welded together so that the cabin3 is configured as a welded unit. As a result, the cabin 3 isself-supporting, so that the wall panels and roof panels 23, 25 increasethe strength of the cabin 3.

The A-pillar 13 and the longitudinal members 15 are in this casedesigned so that together they absorb and direct forces into the cabin 3in the case of a crash. In an alternative exemplary embodiment, theA-pillars 13, longitudinal members 17, crossmembers 19 a, 19 b as wellas the wall panels and roof panels 23, 25 are manufactured fromaluminum.

Although in detail the invention has been illustrated and described morefully by the preferred embodiment, the invention is not limited by thedisclosed examples. Other variants may be derived therefrom by theperson skilled in the art without departing from the protected scope ofthe invention.

1-11. (canceled)
 12. A traction head part, comprising: a cabin having afloor region, a roof and two side walls extended between said floorregion and said roof; said side walls each having a head end and arespective A-pillar disposed at said head end and retained on said floorregion; longitudinal members each extended from a respective one of saidA-pillars into a respective one of said side walls; and said A-pillarsand said longitudinal members forming a unit constructed to absorb anddirect forces into said cabin in the event of a crash.
 13. The tractionhead part according to claim 12, wherein said longitudinal members eachform an upper edge of a respective one of side walls.
 14. The tractionhead part according to claim 12, wherein said cabin is self-supporting.15. The traction head part according to claim 12, wherein each of saidside walls has at least one respective further pillar and each of saidlongitudinal members is connected to said at least one respectivefurther pillar.
 16. The traction head part according to claim 15,wherein said longitudinal members are constructed in multiple parts andat least one of said multiple parts of each of said longitudinal membersextends between two pillars.
 17. The traction head part according toclaim 12, wherein said longitudinal members are constructed as profiledsupports.
 18. The traction head part according to claim 12, wherein saidroof includes at least one crossmember having ends retained on saidlongitudinal members.
 19. The traction head part according to claim 12,wherein: each of said side walls has at least one respective furtherpillar; each of said longitudinal members is connected to said at leastone respective further pillar; said roof includes at least onecrossmember having ends retained on said longitudinal members; and atleast two of said further pillars and one crossmember are connectedtogether.
 20. The traction head part according to claim 12, wherein saidlongitudinal members each have a curved shape and extend upwardly from arespective one of said A-pillars.
 21. The traction head part accordingto claim 12, wherein said side walls each have at least one wall panel,and said longitudinal members are each constructed integrally with atleast one of said at least one wall panel or said roof.
 22. The tractionhead part according to claim 12, wherein said cabin is constructed as awelded unit.